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Catalog Data

Artist:
Imogen Cunningham, 12 Apr 1883 - 24 Jun 1976  Search this
Sitter:
Imogen Cunningham, 12 Apr 1883 - 24 Jun 1976  Search this
Medium:
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions:
Image/Sheet: 23.8 x 19 cm (9 3/8 x 7 1/2")
Mount: 45.7 x 35.6 cm (18 x 14")
Type:
Photograph
Date:
1933
Exhibition Label:
Imogen Cunningham made this self-portrait around the time she joined Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and other San Francisco photographers to promote photography as a fine art. Cunningham and her friends called their group “f/64,” in reference to the smallest opening of a camera lens, which rendered the greatest range of tone. The name also reveals the group’s distinctive aesthetic, for at this setting, cameras produce images that are crisp, bright, and sharply focused. Her self-portrait embodies this vision, as well as her own interest in close studies of nature and its tactile elements, such as the weather-beaten wood surface behind her and the textures of her camera and soft hat. Though short-lived, f/64 became extraordinarily influential as generations of photographers adopted the standards that Cunningham, Weston, and Adams pioneered.
Imogen Cunningham creó este autorretrato hacia la época en que se unió a Edward Weston, Ansel Adams y otros fotógrafos de San Francisco para promover la fotografía como forma artística. Cunningham y sus amigos llamaron al grupo “f/64”, en alusión a la apertura de lente más pequeña, que producía la gama más amplia de tonos. El nombre también revela la estética distintiva del grupo, ya que con esta apertura la cámara produce imágenes precisas, brillantes y de gran nitidez. Este autor- retrato encarna esa visión junto con el interés de la artista en los estudios detallados de la naturaleza y sus elementos táctiles, como la superficie de madera erosionada que aparece detrás de ella y las texturas de su cámara y su boina. Aunque duró poco, el f/64 fue sumamente influyente para generaciones de fotógrafos que adoptaron los estándares establecidos por Cunningham, Weston y Adams.
Topic:
Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses  Search this
Equipment\Camera  Search this
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Cap\Beret  Search this
Self-portrait  Search this
Imogen Cunningham: Female  Search this
Imogen Cunningham: Visual Arts\Artist\Photographer  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Object number:
NPG.93.70
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
© 2018 Imogen Cunningham Trust
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location:
Currently not on view
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm409bdbcac-db59-4c10-ac38-97e15e3194b8
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_NPG.93.70